Michigan Leaders Strike $2 Billion Road Deal to Avert Budget Shutdown
Whitmer, Brinks, and Hall reach bipartisan budget deal with $2B for roads and schools
LANSING, Mich. — Governor Gretchen Whitmer and legislative leaders announced Thursday that they have reached an agreement to pass Michigan’s budget before the October 1 deadline, securing nearly $2 billion a year in additional funding for local and state roads.
The deal comes after weeks of negotiations between the Democratic governor, Senate Majority Leader Winnie Brinks, D-Grand Rapids, and House Speaker Matt Hall, R-Richland Township. Leaders from both parties said the bipartisan agreement will allow them to approve the state’s general budget and the School Aid budget on time.
“This agreement puts us on a path to lower costs, fix the damn roads, and pass a balanced, bipartisan budget by October 1,” Whitmer said. She highlighted provisions to cut taxes for seniors and working families, create jobs, and invest in schools and public safety.
Hall framed the deal as a chance to overhaul government spending practices. “We have an opportunity here to reform Michigan’s broken process and get much better value for the taxpayers,” he said, citing new transparency requirements for earmarks and efforts to eliminate “ghost employees.”
Brinks said the framework reflects the priorities of residents across the state. “The people of Michigan deserve a budget that makes their daily lives better — a budget that boosts education, improves roads, and protects healthcare,” she said.
The legislature is expected to finalize and vote on the budget next week, averting a shutdown and ensuring funding for schools, infrastructure, and government operations continues into the new fiscal year.
Whitmer spent $47million of infrastructure money---fix the damn roads---and gave it to GM. Was not aware GM asked for money. This same Governor who took 18 of her closest friends on vacation to the Orient on taxpayer money that could have fixed roads. Or who spent $286Billion on secret job site that has never and will never produce a job in Michigan. We need to start deducting from her pay. She also spent $623million earmarked to be returned to the School Employees Retirement fund. She's been lying to Michigan for 7 years.